The Twilight Zone (Dell)
- |Issues Published = 4 issues |Previous Series = N/A |Next Series = The Twilight Zone (1962) }} Dell Comics, in a partnership with Western Publishing, began to publish the Twilight Zone series in 1961. Series information Dell Comics was an extension of Dell Publishing that began publishing comics in 1929. It grew into a major success with the publication of licensed properties, most notably by featuring characters from cartoons made popular by Walt Disney, Warner Brothers and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.Wikipedia contributors. "Dell Comics." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia," Version: . Retrieved: . The company joined in a partnership with fellow publisher Western Publishing in 1938 to help finance and provide distribution for the comics that they intended to produce. The result was a number of titles selling in the millions and the publisher was regularly looking to add to its line of titles, drawing on new popular television series and films for inspiration.Wikipedia contributors. "Dell Comics." ''Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia," Version: . Retrieved: . ''The Twilight Zone became one such property in . The first issue of The Twilight Zone produced by Dell Comics appeared in .Bob Klein, Lou Mougin, and Mike Tiefenbacher. "The Twilight Zone (1961 series)." Grand Comics Database. Retrieved: . The first two issues were part of Dell's second Four Color Comics series, first in 1961 (#1173) and then again in 1962 (#1288).Dell Four-Color Comic Book Listing. "Dell Four-Color Series 2." Retrieved: The Dell Four Color series was used by the company to try out new properties for potential solo title publications. This was the case with The Twilight Zone, which became a regular series following the second successful trial.Wikipedia contributors. "Four Color." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia," Version: . Retrieved: . The Dell series, however, would only run for another two issues before Western Publishing decided that they wanted to develop and publish some of their shared comic titles on their own, under their new Gold Key imprint. This included ''The Twilight Zone. The first issue of the new series appeared in November of 1962 with the Gold Key logo on the cover and a "No. 1" in the issue's indicia, demonstrating clearly that this was a new start for the series. Despite the reboot of the issue numbering, the series was a continuation of the Dell series in many ways. It shared the same format and much of the same talent from the Dell series migrated over to the Gold Key edition of the series, including artists George Evans, Reed Crandall and Ben Oda.Bob Klein, Lou Mougin, and Mike Tiefenbacher. "The Twilight Zone (1961 series)." Grand Comics Database. Retrieved: . Notable talents * The Twilight Zone writer Charles Beaumont contributed a handful of stories for Dell's funny animal comics early in his career, all done in collaboration with William F. Nolan.William F. Nolan. The Work of Charles Beaumont: An Annotated Bibliography & Guide. 2nd edition revised and expanded, Bibliographies of Modern Authors No.6. San Bernardino, CA : Borgo Press, 1990. Series Index Four Color (series 2) * The Twilight Zone FC 1173 * The Twilight Zone FC 1288 The Twilight Zone (ongoing) * The Twilight Zone 207 * The Twilight Zone 210 Editor's note Both the two issues from The Twilight Zone one-shots published by Dell under the Four Color series and the subsequent two regular title issues are listed under The Twilight Zone (Dell) title. Though technically not published under the same title, the rationale is that each of the Four Color issues were considered one-shot specials rather than a standard monthly title featuring the same characters, the four issues were related and the first two issues served as introductions to the regular ongoing series—acting like #1 and #2 of the Dell series and treated as such. See also * The Twilight Zone (Gold Key) * The Twilight Zone (Whitman) * Dell Comics * Western Publishing Notes and references Notes References * Bob Klein, Lou Mougin, and Mike Tiefenbacher. "The Twilight Zone (1961 series)." Grand Comics Database. Retrieved: . * GCD indexers. "Four Color (1942 series)." Grand Comics Database. Retrieved: . External links * Four Color (1942 series) at the Grand Comics Database * The Twilight Zone (1961 series) at the Grand Comics Database Category:Comics